Coin-controlled gravity-operating ticket-printing and delivering scale



spt.18,1934. s. A. RHODES mL '1,973,780-

COIN CONTROLLE) GRAVITY OPERATING TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE l i original Filed Jan. 8, 192e 8 sheets-sheet 1 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 lijm-'15; v I

s. A. RHODES Er AL Original Filed Jan. 8, 1926 Sept, 18, 193.4.

com coNTRoLLED GRAVITY OPERATING TICKET PRTNTING AND DELIVERING scALE Sept. 18, 1934. A RHODES E T AL- 1,973,780

COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATING TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Original Filed Jan. 8, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet I5 Sept. 18, 1934. s. A. RHODES ET AL n 1,973,780

COIN CONTROLLED -GRAVITY OPERATING TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE A dfazay( Sept. 18, 1934. s. A. RHODES Er AL 1,973,780 COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATING '.lICl/{E'J` PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Original Filed Jan. 8. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 18, 1934. s. A RHDES Er AL 1,973,780

COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY 'OPERATING TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE 1 original Filed Jan. 8, 192e SASheexs-sheet e sept. 1s, 1934. s, A RHODES Er M 1,973,780

COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY GPERATINQ TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Original Filed Jan. 8. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 sept. 1s, 1934. s A, RHODES UAL 1,973,780

COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATING TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Original Filed Jan. 8. 1926 x8 Sheets-Sheet 8 wil Ill

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 COIN-CONTROLLED GRAVITY-OPERATIG TICKET PRINTING A N D DELIVERING SCALE Seth A. Rhodes, Oak Park, and GustavrFv. Hochriem, Park Ridge, Ill., assignors to Rhodes` Hochriem Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., Va

corporation of Illinois (lriginal application January 8,1926, Serial N0.` 79,929. Divided and this application February 21, 1930, Serial No. 430,177

claims.' (el. 271-43) This application is a division of an earlier application filed by us under date of January 8, 1926, Serial No. 79,929.

The present improvements relate to Weighing machines Which, upon the insertion of a coin,

will print and eject a ticket showing the Weight of a person standing on the scale platform. In the specific embodiment shown means are provided also for printing the date of the Weighing operation. The present device belongs to that class of coin-controlled ticket-printing Weighing machines in which the Weight 0I a person on the platform. supplies the necessary power for the operation of the scale. k l

We aware that various attempts or suggestions have heretofore been made toward the desired end of providing a coin-controlled gravity-operated ticket-printing-andfvending weighing scale. In such devices it has been recognized that certain fundamental parts are essential, such as means for storing up energy for, gravitational operation, means for holding a supply of tickets, means for feeding the tickets successively one at a time into printing position, means for printing the ticket and means for sjectng it. The present machine, which is now in extensive use, is the result of improvementin all of the fundamental parts or features, with nevel additions, all making for improved results and advantages. Y

The chief object of the improvements is to provide a reliable and dependable device of the character described. I

A specic cl2-ject of the invention is to provide for greater ticket capacity 'whereby refilling of the device is less citen required, 'th-us saving time and ,labor and maintaining the machine in'longer periods 'of .s rvice. It is an object also to proe vidc a ticket magazine for the ticket supply according to which a substantially uniform pres-` sure is maintainedupon the particular ticket which at any time is in position to be shifted from the stack, an important factor of uniform operation. Another important object is to provide the required certainty of action through the provision. peculiarly appropriate mechanisms, they avoidance of parts or features found to he unnecessary, and, in general, by simplifying theconstruction reducing the number of parts,

it is object to provide a device of the character described Whichwill operate with a relatively small on the platform, for instance, child of twenty pounds, Without the prior setting Weight. Y

The important object of a satisfactory operation is contributed to by means providing that the coin may not -be. inserted until the machine is ready to print and deliver the ticket; yand the further'object is attained hy refusingra coin when the card container is empty or substantially eX- hausted of the blanks on which the printing is done.

Itis an object to promote safety to the machine and a satisfactoryuse by means whereby When the .operation of filling the ticket container or magazine has beenperformed the container door must be closed and put into a co-operative position before the front door of the casing or outer housing of the machine can be closed, thus preventing misoperation through inadvertence of attendant.

of the machine by a person of greater A specic object is to provide readily operable means for adjusting various of. the operative parts calling for adjustment, as in the instance of the date-printing Wheels, from day to day, or of a liquid-containi`ng dashpot, the most satisfa'ctoryoperation of which may call for adjustment in hot and cold Weather.

Vin the rather critical operation of feeding one ticket at a time from a stack or vertically arranged supply, the object is attained of a smooth and easy shift, with but little friction and with dependable certainty of action.

Various advantages `are Yhad also in `the organization or arrangement Yof certain feeding, printing, tripping, et cetera, mechanisms on the opposite sides of a common plate-like support which holds the several mechanisms mounted on it in their respective Vco-operative relations, thus saving space also and avoiding complication of parts.

The machine of the present invention is of relatively -small sizeV and Weight While at the same time being strong and durable.

Still other objects and advantages Will appear hereinafter.

It will aid the understanding of the machine if at this place a brief description is made of its chief features of operation. The person desiring to Weigh himself steps upon the scale platform which moves downward slightly, raising a weight and other parts to store up energy, the raised vveight which, coincident With the Weighing opere 110 weight. The downward movement of a rod eX- tending upward from the springs is communicated to a vertically movable rack in mesh with a small pinion on a printing wheel of` considerable diameter having on its periphery numerals beginning in our practice with 20 and ending with 300 dening the weighing capacity of the machine in pounds avoirdupois. The printing wheel begins to turn as soon as the person steps upon the platform and oscillates somewhat just before it comes to rest. A pointer rotated through frictional engagement with the printing wheel is in view of the person on the platform and when the pointer ceases to oscillate the device is ready to receive a coin.

The coin opening is normally closed by a gate which is operated by a device providing a delayed movement so that at about the time the printing wheel comes to rest the gate opens for the reception of a coin.

The coin falls a sufficient distance in a chute to provide the desired force for tripping a catch which holds in suspended position a gravityoperated lever which was raised while the preceding person was still on the scale. The descent of this falling lever releases the printing hammer for gravitational fall, aided by a spring, and when the hammer falls it communicates motion to the ticket feeder to carry it back into position to advance another ticket. The falling lever also moves a catch releasing a lever of the first class having a weight at one end, and the gravitational tilting of'this weighted lever carries the previously falling lever upward into its original position where it becomes caught for the *next weighing operation, and at the same time the weighted lever moves and holds out of the way a catch which has been holding up the main weight and other parts raised when the person stepped on the platform. Now, when the person steps oif of the platform the main weight near the base of the machine descends, drawing down also the lever connected with it, and the drawing down of this lever rocks the weighted lever till it becomes latched, thus raising the weight on that lever to supply power for the next weighing operation. When what we have described as the falling lever is forced upward by the gravitational action of the weighted lever, as mentioned, the hammer is carried 'upward and the ticket shifter is operated to advance another ticket, incidentally forcing the printed ticket out of the guides and into a hopper which carries it to an opening where the person weighed can get it.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device with the front door of the casing removed.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with the rear casing door similarly omitted.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary side elevations viewed in opposite directions, with front, rear and top walls of the casing in section.

Fig. 5 is a still further enlarged fragmentary side elevation of certain levers, et cetera, appearing in Fig. 2 and showing these parts in their relative positions when the machine is ready to receive a coin and before the person has stepped on the scale platform.

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of the lever mechanism of Fig. 5 showing the relative position of parts respectively before and after the insertion of a coin, with the person standing on the platform.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the upper end portion of the ticket magazine.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation of the spring-suspended basket or follower holding cards in the magazine.

Fig. 9a is a section on the line .9a- 9a of Fig. 9.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on a line as 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 1l is a top plan of certain card shifting mechanisms.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of parts sho-wn in Fig. 1l, and some associated parts.

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional View on the line 13-13 of Fig. 11 but showing the card ejecting mechanism in its rearward position.

Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view on the line 14-14 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 15 is a top plan and Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the coin-actuated tripper arm and associated mechanisms.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the coin chute showing the slot and stop for the end of the tripper arm.

Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view on the line 18-18 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional view showing platform or base mechanisms and elements connecting them with the upright portion of the scale. The base of Fig. 19 is not our invention.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged side view showing printing wheels, inking mechanism, et cetera.

Figs. 21 and 22 are enlarged side and rear views, respectively, of the mechanism for opening and closing the coin-receiving slot.

Fig. 2,3 is a top plan of the shutter or gate and associated parts for closing the coin-receiving slot. i

Fig. 24 is an elevation of same viewed from the rear, showing the open position in dotted lines.

Fig. 25 is a View, partly in section, of a cushioning mechanism or dashpot.

Figs. 26 and 2'! are cross sectional views taken respectively on line 26-25 and 27-2'7 of Fig. 25.

Fig. 28 is an enlarged detail of the automatically-operated printing-ribbon-advancing means, and

lll)

Fig. 29 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan of a part of the printing hammer mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 19, the system of balancing levers is shown sufficiently in side view. The base comprises a movable platform l resting at 2 upon a longitudinally extending member 3 and at 4 upon a shorter longitudinal member 5 connected by a link 5a, to the member 3. The member 3 is supported by a link 6 to a bell crank lever 7 pivoted to the frame of the base, while a similar bell crank 8 pivoted also to the frame is connected by a link 9 to the member 5. A longitudinal member 10 connects the corresponding ends of the two bell cranks 7 and 8 and makes pivotal connection with the bell crank 11 pivoted at l2 to a part rigid with the base -f tion it will be clear that when a person steps on the platform the rod 15 will be drawn down while the weight 13 will be moved up.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, it

will be seen that the various mechanisms are enclosed in a rectangular outer housing which in practiceis of sheet metal except for a glass panel 17 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and which is in the front door of the housing.

Rigidly secured within the housing is a platelike main support 18 extending from the top of the housing downward, see Figs. 1 and 2, and which is positioned between the front and rear walls of the housing, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In'practice this main support 18 is a piece of fiat sheet steel, and one feature of improvement is in the organization of various mechanisms on opposite sides of this plate whereby space is economized and the parts are held in their cooperative relations to 'much better advantage than if secured to various independent supports.

From Fig. 1 it will be noted that the weighing pull rod 15 is connected by a pair of rods 20 to a cross-arm 21 carrying a pair of springs 22 secured to the main support 18; Also that a rod 23 extends upward from the cross-bar 21 terminating in a rack 24 (see 20) in mesh with a small pinion 25 mounted on a shaft 26 on which is also secured a printing wheel 27 hav ing on its periphery raised figures indicating pounds, and in our practice running from 20 to 300, The shaft 26 is journalled in ball bearings in the plate`18 and in a front bracket or frame 19 secured to the plate 18.

`lt will thus be clear that when a person steps on the scale platform the springs 22 will be extended, the rack 24 drawn downward, and the printing wheel 27 turned on its axis, the strength of the springs being so co-ordinated with the numbers on the printing wheel that the number indicating the weight of the person will be directly at the top of the printing wheel when the balance is reached.

In order to prevent undue movement and excessive oscillation of the printing wheel, we provide the dashpot 28 (Figs. 1 and 2 and more in detail in Fig. 25)- operatively connected to the crossbar 21.

Tracing out now the other movement which takes place when the person steps on the platform, we will refer iii-st to Fig. 19, and again note that the weight 13 is raised by the weight on the platform. From Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that a rod 30 extends upward from the weight 13 and is connected to an offsetting piece 31 to which in turn is connected a vertically disposed rod 32. The function of this rod 32 will appear from Fig. 5, which shows a system of levers mounted on the rear of the main support 18 and with the levers in their relative positions when the machine is set for a printing operation but Abefore a person to be weighed steps upon the piatform. From this gure it will benoted that the rod 32 is connected to a lever of the first class 33 pivoted at 340 upon the plate 18. When a person steps upon the platform, what we will describe as the front end of the lever 33 is moved upward until it substantially engages the adjustable stop 34, at which time an oval-shaped lug 35 on the lever is caught by the latch 36 pivoted at 37 upon a bracket 38 secured upon the main support 18. The latch 36 has its lower end provided with an extension 40 and between it and a part of the bracket 38 the coiled spring 4l extends tending at all times to Vdraw the upper-part of the latch in a'direction toward the oval-shaped pro- -ections 35, while the extension 42 of the latch serves as a stop to limit movement.

The second and coincident effect of a persons stepping upon the platform is, then, to

raise the frontend of the lever 33 until it is caught by the latch 36 and the weight 13 is thus held in suspended position and for descent whenY the person steps off of the platform.

From Fig. 5 it will be noted that a rod 43 extends upward from the rear end of the lever 33. From Figs. 21 and 22 it will be noted that this rod 43 carries an outstanding frame 44 having an outstanding pin 45. Also, that to the main support 18 (see also Fig. 3) is secured a rearwardly extending plate 46 having an opening 47 which is for the most part rectangular but which has at its lower portion an inverted V-shaped upstanding part 48. To this plate 46 is secured a support 49 provided with an ear 50 at one end through which extends a rod 51 having its outer end secured to the ange-like piece or extension 46a, Fig. 22, the rod 51 lying between the extension frame 44 andthe rod 43 and, therefore, serving as a guide for the rod 43 and the pin 45 in their up-anddown movements, always maintaining the pin in a proper position in the opening 47. A

Mounted on the small transverse support 49, Fig. 21, is a sort of S-shaped rocking member 52. which is maintained resiliently in its normal position shown by Fig. 21 by a coiled spring 53, Fig. 22. A rod 54 is pivoted at 55 upon the plate 46 and extends through an opening in the main support 18, and this rod is normally held in its full line position, shown by Fig. 21, by the coiled spring 56.

Referring further to Fig. 2l, it will be noted that when the rod 43 is drawn downward, which occurs when the person steps on the scale platform, the pin 45 will follow the left-hand contour of the S-shaped member 52, and when it comes to the bottom of that member the lower half of the member will be pushed to the right and the pin 45 will continue to descend until it reaches the mounting for the rod 54, and will pull that end of the rod down, raising the other end, or into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 21. Immediately after the pin 41 has passed the lower end of the member 52 the spring 53 will cause the member'52 to resume its normal position, and subsequently when the rod 43 rises the pin 45 will move upward on the other side of the S-shaped member, finally pushing the upper end of that member to the left and finding itself again in its normal position shown in Fig. 2l.

As we shall presently see, the lifting of the rod 54 opens the coin chute to receive a coin. Let us suppose that someone steps on the platform before the person preceding him has stepped off, or before the machine has had time to adjust itself for the next operation, a condition of frequent occurrence. At such vtime the pin 45 is either still at the bottom of the opening 47 or has moved part of the way up the right-hand contour of the member 52. As it happens in practice, the pin 45, which is at the bottom of its path of movement so long as a person is standing on the platform, rises somewhat during the 'shifting of weight (one getting olf and another getting on) and comes above the sharp projection 48. Thereafter when the person getting on applies his full weight the pin 45 descends in the right-hand compartment formed by the projection'48 and does not move the 54, and the coin slot is not opened and will not open until the person steps off of the platform and permits the machine to get ready to furnish him his weight. l

Turning now to Figs. 23 and 24, we note that the rod 54 extends to a place directly over and in contact with an arm 58 of a T-shaped closure pivoted at 59 upon a plate 69 secured to the main support 18. A spring 6l, Fig. 24, will draw the leg or closure 62 to the right, as'viewed in Fig. 24, when the rod 54 is moved out of restraining postion. Taken with the foregoing description, it is clear that at the end of the upward movement of the weight 13 and rod 32 the gate or closure 6'2 will be swung into its dotted line position in Fig. 24, permitting a coin to be inserted in the coin chute 63.

We have thus far described the various operations which take place when the person to be weighed steps upon the platform, and for the purpose of description have made the assumption that some one weighed himself on the machine prior to the present weighing and thereby set the machine for normal operation. As thus far described, the machine is ready to receive a coin to be deposited through an opening 65, see Figs. 3 and 4, which opening is in the front door of the outer frame or housing.

Assuming, then, that a person has stepped upon the platform and waited a little while until the coin slot opened and then deposited a coin, we will refer tot Figs. 15, 16 and 17 to show the first results. The descending coin strikes a light lever 66 having its front end tipped with steel to withstand wear and verticaily movable in a slot 67 in the coin chute 63, carrying the lever 66 downward until its front end comes suihciently out of the slot 67 to permit the .coin as 68 to pass by and become deposited in a collecting box which may rest at the bottom of the casing. The lever 66 is one of the first class and is pivoted on an axis 'i9 and is held by a pair of conically pointed screws 7l, Fig. 18, mounted in a frame designated as 72 and secured to the sheet metal outer casing or housing of the machine. A vertically extending rectangular bar 73 is mounted for up-and-down movement in a passageway formed by the construction of a tilting latch 74, as will be noted from Fig. 15, the latch 74 being pvotally mounted at 75 near its inner end and being provided with a projection 76, well-noted in Fig. 6, and the vertical bar 73 is provided with a notch to accommodate the projection 76. It will be clear that as the free end of the latch 74 is raised the projection 76 will come out of the notch and permit the rod 73 to descend. The descent of the coin lever 66 raises the free end of the latch 74, since the lever 66 is provided with an arm 77 adapted to engage the latch.

The first result of depositing the coin is, therefore, to release the bar 73, and from Figs. 6 and 7 some of the ensuing operations will be clear. l

We will start with the assumption that the front end of the lever arm 8D and the bar 73 were raised and caught by the dog at 76, Fig. 6, during the preceding weighing operation. The release of the bar 73 by the coin-operated tripping mechanism permits that bar and the lever arm 80 to fall gravitationally, the lever arm turning on the shaft 81. This shaft 8l projects through the main support 18, as will be noted from Fig. 1, which also shows a lever arm 82 mounted on the front side of the main support on the shaft 81. Fig. 3 shows that to the arm 81 is connected a vertical rod 82 extending upward to a lever extension 83. Referring to 'the detailof Fig. 29, it will be noted that the arm 83 is loosely mounted on a shaft 84 outstanding from and rigidly secured to the main support 18, at the front end of which shaft is also loosely mounted the hammer arm 85. It is to be noted that the sleeve 83a. carrying the lever arm 83 has a projection 86 in the path of the contacting projection 87 on the hammer arm 85. From this construction it will be clear that when the arm 83 is raised, the projection 86 will be moved away from the projection 87, permitting the hammer arm to descend. From Fig. 1 it will be noted that a spring 88a co-cperates in drawing the hammer arm downward, and it will there also be noted that since the lever arm 82 is relatively long with respect to the lever arm 83 (shown enlarged in Fig. 29), the movement of the stop 86, Fig. 29, away from the stop 87 is relatively rapid with the result that the hammer bar 85 may descend gravitationally, or even more rapidly, as though the effect of the spring 88a. The result is that the hammer head 85a strikes a blow upon a ticket immediately at the top of the printing wheel 27.

Referring to Fig. 1 and also to Fig. 12, it will be noted that a horizontal rod 88 is pivotcd to the hammer arm and extends to a pivotal connection with the depending arm 89 pivoted at 99 upon the main support 18 and adapted to swing. The lower end of the swinging bar 89 engages a reciprocating ticketnfeeding sliding element later herein more specifically to be described. At this place we desire principally to mention that when the hammer bar descends the ticket-feeder is forced to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, or into position to engage a ticket subsequently to beadvanced toward the right.

Summing up certain movements, we nd that the deposit of a coin results in permitting the lever arm 80 to fall, thereby permitting the hammer to descend and perform a printing operation and at the same time moving the ticket shifter into position to advance another card.

Referring again to Figs. 6 and 7, when the lever arm 80 falls its roller 80a strikes the top surface of the latch 01 dog 92 pivoted at 93 on the bracket arm 38, and the arm 80 and latch 92 assume their dotted line positions in Fig. 7.

It is desired after each printing operation to raise the printing hammer and move the ticket shifter. The means provided comprise the dog 92, the lever of the rst class 94 pivoted on the stud shaft 34, and a weight 95 connected to what we shall call the rear end of the lever 94. This weight 95 is guided for up and down movements in brackets secured upon the rear surface of the main support 18. When the lever 94 is released by the disengagement of the latch 92 the weight 95 causes the front end of the lever 94 to swing upward. From Fig. 7 it will be noted that an adjustable screw 96 in the lever arm 94 contacts the lever) 80 at the time the dog or latch 92 is moved out of holding engagement, with the result that when the front end of the lever 94 is swung upward it carries with it the lever arm 80 until the latch 76, Fig. 6, re-engages the notch in the bar 73 to hold the arm 80 in raised position, and the several levers are then in their full line positions respectively shown in Fig. 7.

Turning again to Fig. 29, it will be noted that when the lever arm 83 is drawn downward the step 86 engages the stop 87 and raises the hammer 85 into its position shown in Fig. 1, and therewith the rod 88 is moved toi the right as viewed in Fig. k1, with the result that another ticket is ladvanced to the right, and with the further result that the ticket which has been printed is forced out of the guides through which it travelled into printing position, and into the hopper 98, Figs. 3 and 4, and into the catch pocket v99, out of which it may be picked by the persons standing `on the scale platform- When the Weight 95, Figs. 6 and 7, descends and carries upward the front end of the lever 94, the rectangular-shaped stop 100 (shown only by dotted lines), engages the curved surface 36a of the dog 36 and forces it to therright, or into the position shown in Fig. '7, and out of engagement with theoval projection 35 on the lever 33. The levers 33 and 94 remain in their full line positions shown in Fig. 'l so long as the person remains on the scale platform. As soon as he steps off, however, the greater power of the weight 13 near the base, together with its associated parts then in raised position, causes the rod 32 to descend, drawing downward the front end of the lever 33, and the engagement of the oval projection 35 on lever 33 with the rectangular projection 100 on lever 93 draws the front end of lever 94 downward until it is caught by the latch 92, the upper end of which is gravitationally drawn to the left through the overbalancing weight of the latch extension 92a, and thus the weight 95 is also raised, storing upenergy for resetting the lever 80.

Summing up further, it will thus be clear that the fall of the lever arm releases the hammer for gravitational operation aided by spring pressure, which spring pressure is desirable in view of the concurrent shifting of the feed mechanism; that the raising of the leverv 80 by the weight restores the hammer for the next printing operation and moves the ticket shifter to advance another ticket and discharge the one printed; also that the lifting of the weight 13 into suspended position furnishes power for restoring the weight 95 to its power-sup-A plying position; and that thus all of the ticket printing and ticket-feeding operationsare per-l formed by power which was stored up by a person standing on the scale platform. The per-y son being weighed does not, however, supply the motive power for his own Weighing. That power was stored up in the machine by the preceding person weighed.

The ticket-supply is contained in a vertically disposed magazine illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive. It is formed of metal, and from Fig.V 10 it will be noted that a'ticket as 101 is contacted by rounded side surfaces of the magazine at 102 away from the corners of the tickets and that at each end of the ticket there is a single; rounded surface 103. There is a little play be;

tween the vertically stacked tickets and the con'- tainer walls, and the construction of the magazine is such as to provide an unusually free movement of the tickets therein. For moving the tickets upward there is first a follower plate 1011 at the upper end of a rod 105 secured upon a sort of S-shaped member 106 having its arms extending through the respective side wall openings 107 of the magazine, and to these arms are secured coiled springs 1'08 which are secured at their upper ends to a bracket 109 to be seen at the top of Fig. 1.

We have found that fora satisfactory operation of such al machine it is highly desirable that the pressure upon the ticket at any given time being shifted away from the stack should remain substantially constant. Where tickets are fed downward in a magazine, the weight 'of the stack, and therefore the pressure upon the low- 'ermest one, is considerable in the beginning and diminishes wit-h each weighing operation'. The result has Ibeen that enl'y `a comparatively small number of tibkets could be stored in the con'- 'ta-iner for use, the excessive weight of a relatively large number `of tickets interfering too serieusly iththe removal of the lowermost one. Aecerdin to these improvements, the relatively long sprii s 1'08 are put into greater tension when the magazine is fully charged, being moreextended, and assume a gradually lessened tension aS the tickets alefed ofi the top of the stack one ata time. We have found that the springs 138 must be substantially long and fieXibl'e to provide the desired results of a substantially equal pressure, and, importantly, a substantially small pressure upon the particular ticket at any given timebein'gmoved pif the top of the stack. According tb these improvements we are able to operate to the full capacity of the magaf zine which, in our practice, is formed to hold one thousand cards, an enormously greater num# ber than has been found feasible wherey the tickets. move gravitationally downward in a magazine;

For Lcharging the magazine, we provide a door-l way in the front upper portion opened and closed by the door 110 which; when closed, is a continuation of the frontl wall and cooperates in holding the tickets properly within the magazine. The magazine is positioned so close to the frc'nt door of the outer casing that when the magazine door 110 is opened and standing out horizontally, being held inv thatposition by the stop 111, the' outer casingdoor may not be closed, thus providing a safety feature found toV be valuable, for the persenV charging' the machine might otherwise forget to close the magazine door and thus endanger the proper feeding of the cards. In charging the magazine the door 110 is opened, any tickets then in the magazine are pushed downward until caught by the gravity-perated latch 112, and thereupon a bunch of tickets may be inserted and adjusted, and that bunch then pushed downward until caught, and so on until the magazine is charged, the additional tickets required to lill' the magazine to the top being readily' appliedY either by simply holding the stack down or by permitting the catch 112 to remain temporarilyin place. v The catch, h'wever, is finally moved out of engagement, the tickets nicely adjusted, and the door closed and latched. In this connection, the feature of having the side walls of the magazine open is im"-v portant since, as a' final operation', it is well to pass a nger up' and down along the stack of cards and push them all over' to one side, as tcward the left as viewed in Fig. 8, to insure that they are all nicely aligned whereby they equally come into position to be movedV off the stack without frictional movement between them.

Thevparticular form of ticket illustratediin Fig. 10l forms the subject of application, Serial No; 685,495, iled January'll, 1924, by Seth A. Rhodes, one of the present applicants;

Figs. 11 to 13, inclusive, illustrate the cardshifting mechanism. Secured to the main support 18l is a metallic guide member to which the upper endV of the ticket magazine is secured, as with screws 113. The ticket magazine extends through a portion of the horizontal guidemem= ber, as' will be noted in Fig. 13, whereby each ien ist

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ticket may issue upward in a line with the guideways through which it is forced until it comes directly above the printing wheels. In Fig. 14 the ticket-guideway is shown at 115, and is formed by recessing thepair of side members 116 upon which respectively are secured, as by screws, the co-operating bar-like pieces 117. Where the tickets issue into the guideway 115 the members 116 are out away at the dotted lines 118, respectively, so that the upward movement of the tickets is stopped by the portions 117e of the members 117. Such member 116 is recessed to provide room for a relatively long and slender spring wire 119 held by the screw 120 and adapted to press against the card gently and provide a slight friotional resistance to its forward movement' whereby it will move only such a distance as is provided by the ,stroke of the ticket-shifter.

The swinging bar 89 carries at its lower end an arm 89a having threaded thereinto a cylindrical bearing member 895 mounted for movement in the notch of a yoke member 300 secured upon a plate 3(11 slidably mounted in recesses or guideways at 302 in the guide member bars 117, Fig. 14. The plate 3011 is reciprocated to the left and into the position shown in Fig. 13 when the printing hammer descends, asv already described, and nievesv to the right a distance equal to the width of the ticket, or into the position shown by Fig. 12, when the hammer is raised.

To force the tickets forward, we found unsatisfactory the heretofore suggested plan of using a plate as 301, but operating in the ticket guideway whereby the plate serves as the moving element contacting the ticket and forcing it forward. To remedy various disadvantages arising in that connection we 'have provided a pair of dogs 122 mounted on a `portion of the yoke member 300, and forward of it, for movements up and down, and normally pressed downward by a unitary right-and-left coiled spring 12,3, with a light and gentle tension. These dogs respectively are provided with a tooth 124 (Fig. 13) adapted to engage the uppermost ticket in the stack and force it forward inthe independent ticket guideways 115. On the return stroke the dogs ride gently over the next ticket which has moved upward into position, and, at the end of the return stroke, fall and are-forced by the spring downward to engage the card when the next operation occurs. It will be noted from Fig. 11 that several tickets 101 are in the guideways at the same time. The size of the printing wheel 27 is such that the depending ticket magazine must be moved laterally sufficient to clear the wheel.

The ticket 101e of Fig. 11 is directly above the center of the printing wheel and is the one on which the instant printing is done. As soon as it is printed the forward movement of the shifting mechanism forces it into its dotted line position while riding at one end of the extension 119e'l of one of the springs 119. The ticket 101e comes out of the guideways when so advanced and falls into the hopper 98,'Fig. 3, and thence into the open receptacle 99, to be taken by the person weighed.

The inking mechanism is mounted on the front side of the main support 18, as well shown in Fig. 1'. Fig. 28 shows the construction more in detail from which it will appear that a pair of stud shafts 130 and 131 carry ratchet wheels 132 and 133, respectively, having their teeth ar ranged in opposite directions, these shafts being adapted to hold ribbon spools of the kind ordinarily used in typewriting machines, the spools being carried in the direction of ratchet move ment by outstanding studs 134 and 135, the spools 136 and 137 being shown in Fig. 20.

Turning to Fig. 6, it will be noted that the lever 33 carries a vertically disposed rod 138. This rod (see Fig. 20) in its upward movement pushes against a connecting piece 139 with a yielding seat action provided by the spring 140. The piece 139 is pivoted to a bar 141 pivoted at 142 to the plate carrying the inking mechanism. To the lever 141 is pivotally secured a vertically reciprocating bar 143 mounted in suitable guides. The bar 143 has pivotally mounted on the face thereof a laterally swinging member 144 pivoted at 145, there being a catch 146 on the member 144 and adapted to engage the teeth of either ratchet wheel accordingly as the member 144 is swung to one side or the other.

Means for holding the member 144 yieldingly in one position and then the other` comprise the member 147 pivoted at 148 upon the reciprocating member 143, and including a conically pointed pin 149 pressed outward by a spring 150 and entering a small conical recess in the lower out-turned end of the member 144. As viewed in Fig. 28 it is apparent that a downward movement of the reciprocating member 143 will cause the tooth 146 to advance the ratchet 132, and it is equally clear that if the member 144 were swung to the left such down-- ward movement would advance the ratchet 133.

The upward movement of the pawl tooth 146 would be likely to return the ratchet back a step, so means are provided to lock it against such a contingency, these means being a small plate-like piece 151 pivoted at 152 upon the bracket 153 forming a guide for the reciprocating member 143. It will be clear that if the member 151 were swung to the -left it would equally engage a tooth of the ratchet 133 and hold it against reverse movement. It is desired to swing the member 151 to one side or the other when the member 144 is so swung. To accomplish this, a pin 154- is mounted upon the member 144 and issues through a slot-like opening 155 in the member 151, which pin lies between the legs of a spring 157 which clasp the pin whereby when the pin is moved in either direction the member 151 will be similarly moved and with a resilient and yielding action. This yielding action provides that when the ratchet 132, as shown in Fig. 23, is advanced in the anti-clockwise direction a ratchet tooth engaging the locking pawl 151 will move the pawl out of the way `until the tooth is past the corner of the pawl, when the pawl will return into holding position.

Means for holding the ribbon spools in place are shown as a pair of flat fingers 158 pivoted at 159, and 160 pivoted at 161, with a cross bar 162 between them and a iinger-piece 163 on oneof them, these fingers 158 and 160 being adapted to be swung out of the way when the ribbon spools are applied, and then swung back so as to lie within the edge portions of the spools, respectively, and prevent their coming off of the spindles 130 and 131. A spring 154 maintains this locking device in holding position.

When the lever 33 is moved upward by a person stepping upon the scale platform, the rod 138 is moved upward, but to a greater extent than is necessary for shifting the ribbon the desired amount and therefore the provision of the lost motion through the spring connection (see also Fig. 2). On the descent of the lever 84 pulling down the rod 138, the ribbon shifter is not aiected until near the end of the movement, when the lever 141, Fig. 26, is pulled downward a short distance--merely enough to advance the ratchet one tooth-and the ribbon is therefore moved a small amount.

From Fig. 20 it will be noted that .the ribbon passes `over two pairs of rollers 166 and 167, and that between the rollers 166 and 167 on each side there is an extension 168 of a'member pivoted at 169 which has a pair of jawsl 170 engaging the little switch member 147. The ribbon, as is usual in typewriter practice, is provided near each end with a button or stop which, in the present instance, is unable to pass through a slot at 172 on each arm 168, and, therefore, as the ribbon continues to be advanced, the member 168 is rocked and the trip 147 is swung to the other side, whereupon the other ratchet becomes effective and winds the ribbon upon the spool associated with it. The ribbon feed is, therefore, automatic at al1 times.

The dashpot 28 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 25; Figs. 26 and 27 also show the dashpot 28 substantially as made, but with a movable plate omitted and the other two plates brought close together. The liquid in them may be any suitable oil or compound having the property of maintaining as uniform as possible a high degree of iiuidity. It appears practically impossible to obtain, within reasonable cost considera-- tions, a dashpot liquid which will not become more fluid in hot weather and less fluid in the cold. The desired uniformity of operation in warm and cold weather may be controlled in this respect through an adjustment of the dashpot elements to provide for a less free passage of the liquid from one side of the diaphragm to the other in hot weather and for a more free passage when the weather is cold. It is desirable to avoid the dismantling of parts or the necessity of removing the liquid for such adjustments.

Referring to Fig. 25, the cover. has a central opening through which passes loosely the plunger rod 181 in the form of a tube through which passes as adjusting rod 182. The tube or sleeve has a slot 183 and in this slot there is a headed screw 184, thus providing that the sleeve and rod may be turned relative to each other. The binding nut 185 will tighten the parts in an adjusted relative position, and the headed screw 18/1 may also be tightened for the same purpose. rThese parts 184 and 185 are where the attendant can at any time easily make any adjustment desired.

The sleeve 181 is slightly reduced at its bottom to form a seat for the plate 186 shown in Fig. 26, the plate being rigidly secured to the sleeve as by solder. The plate 186 has three notches 187 therein forming passageways for the liquid. A plate 188 shaped like plate 186 is mounted loosely for up` and down movement on the rod 182 immediately below the plate 186. The rod 182 is slightly reduced in diameter at its bottom to accommodate the plate 189, which is held rigidly thereon by a pair of binding nuts 190. The plate 188 has secured to it a pin 191 freely movable in a hole 192 in the plate 189 whereby any rotative movement given to the lowermost plate 189 will be communicated to plate 188. v'The lower plate 189 has notches 193 therein.

From the construction thus illustrated and described, it will be clear that when the sleeve and rod are turned relative to each other the ,relationship of the notches between plate 188 and 188 will be changed, to enlarge or reduce the passageways from rone side of the diaphragm as a whole to the other, Vand .thus modifying the resistance to movement of .the diaphragm in the body of liquid. The .dashpot illustrated in Fig. 25 is the one which cushions the weight of the person when he steps on vthe scale platform. Througl'i the free Lip-and-down movement of the plate 188 it will be .clear that that plate will move upward against plate 186 on the downward movement of the combined sleeve 181 and rod 182, closing the passageways except for that predetermined amount iixed by the particular adjustment at the time. When the person steps oif the scale and the dashpot elements move upward, the movable plate 188 will fall away from plate 186, thus enlarging the passageways whereby the fluid will not be pumped upward out of the dashpot and whereby the scale parts aiected may adjust themselves as rapidly as desired.

We claim as our invention:

1. A ticket magazine for a ticket-printingand-delivering-weighing scale, comprising vertically disposed walls for holding the tickets in a vertical pile, a ticket support freely movable up and down in the magazine, a plurality of coil springs outside of the magazine and connected to said support for drawing the support upward, said magazine having a doorway near the upper end thereof through which tickets may be inserted for charging the magazine, and a pivoted readily releasable swinging lever extending downwardly from its pivot and having one end provided with a lip for holding the pile of tickets depressed at the doorway whereby additional tickets may be inserted, forced downward and similarly held until the magazine is charged.

2. A magazine for holding a stack of tickets in a ticket-printing and delivering weighing scale comprising a pair of vertically disposed channel-shaped guides arranged facing each other, each of said guides having three bead-like formations running longitudinally thereof, said formations contacting with the stack of tickets respectively at the end of the stack between the corners and at each side thereof adjacent to IfL the corners, said guides being spaced apart sufciently to provide ample space between them for the manual adjustment of the tickets in filling the magazine.

3. Ticket-feeding and printing mechanism for a ticket-printing and delivering weighing scale comprising printing mechanism, a vertically dis- Ino posed magazine adapted to hold the tickets in VN1315 a vertical pile, means for forcing the pile oi tickets upward, a pair of recessed ticket guides for' conveying the tickets laterally from the top of the magazine to printing position opposite the printing mechanism, ticket-feeding mechanism for ejecting the uppermost ticket of the pile into said ticket guides, a plurality of tickets being in the ticket guides in edge-to-edge contact and being advanced to the printing mechanism the one by the other, said ticket guides each having a slot in the lower portion thereof opposite the printing mechanism, and a resilient member projecting through each of said slots into the path of the tickets so as to frictionally engage the ticket which isy intermittently actuated '140 at printing position in the guides to hold it at that position during printing and to allow the ticket to move downward slightly under the action of the printing mechanisim 4. Ticket-feeding and printing mechanism for a ticket-printing and delivering Weighing scale comprising printing mechanism, a pair of horizontal ticket guides for conveying tickets successively to the printing mechanism, the portion of said ticket guides opposite the printing mechanism being yieldably mounted so as to permit vertical movement of the ticket being printed to allow the ticket to be acted upon by the printing mechanism.

5. Ticket-feeding mechanism for a ticket- 

